Lingering Humanity
by Densetsuno Youko
Summary: An accidental wish for a better future lands Kagome 500 years in the past. When Inuyasha's so called 'great idea' places Kagome in the Western Palace as a concubine, will she be forced to loose her humanity for the sake of survival?


Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha.

Author's Notes: I've been gone for quite a while, haven't I? Anyway, I'm sorry to announce that I won't be finishing any of the stories I've already started. However, I will make an **effort** to complete this one. :)

* * *

**Wish Upon a Fish**

Kagome discreetly rolled her eyes in annoyance as her friends gushed happily about the cute "new guy" at school. While Kagome loved her three best friends down to their last faults, she swore they became demon-possessed the moment they pinpointed their newest victim, which usually came in the form of the hottest guy at school. She almost pitied the new boy…almost.

Eri's unusually pale cheeks were flushed in excitement as she listed off a multitude of facts about the new boy's personal and social life – an amazing feat that only the school's number one gossiper could pull off. While Ayumi and Yuka hung eagerly on Eri's every word, Kagome idly wondered where Eri got all her information from. The poor guy had only arrived at school three hours ago and Eri already seemed to know him as if the two had been married for twenty years.

"…And he wears the cutest pair of solid blue underwear with dancing teddy bears holding chocolate hearts!" Eri giggled in a low whisper. "I think guys are sweet when they wear cute things and not act all macho and stuff."

Kagome scrunched her nose in disgust and quickly asked, "How did you know what underwear he has on? I doubt he stripped in the middle of class on his first day of school." Kagome grimaced slightly at the mental image of an unknown guy stripping down to his boxers in front of Mrs. Crane, the batty, old history teacher who thought that World War III was going to erupt in her backyard from the supposedly famous Nut War VII between the chipmunks and the squirrels.

Kagome snapped out of her silent musings when she felt a light tap on her right shoulder. "Can I help you?" Kagome asked gently, turning to face the cute boy with a confused expression etched on his face.

"Um, I was wondering if you could direct me to the Physics classroom." the boy shyly smiled. "I hope I'm not causing you any trouble."

"Oh, no, of course not." assured Kagome, who distinctly realized that her three friends had suddenly become very quiet. "See that blue building over there? If you take a right and go down that hall, you should be able to find the Physics classroom at very end. You can't miss it – it's room K9."

"Thank you."

When the boy was a good distance away from earshot, Eri squealed and shouted. "That's him! That's him! That's Hojo Yamasaki – the new guy at school!" Jumping excitedly up and down, she quickly demanded, "Doesn't he have the cutest smiles? I love his brown hair! It reminds me of milk chocolate!"

"He's adorable, Eri!" Ayumi sighed with a small flush of embarrassment.

"He's 100 percent boyfriend material!" agreed Yuka with an affirming nod. "What do you think, Kagome?"

"He's not ugly." Kagome offered gently. "He seems nice enough, but I don't know…he just kind of gave me the impression that he's…I don't know…like an airhead. I can't really explain, but he seems like the kind of person that would turn a blind eye to everything he doesn't want to see."

"Gee, are you sure you don't have a birth defect?" Eri teased, crossing her arms across her chest. "You give me the impression that you were born with your eyes on the back of your head. I mean, how can you NOT notice those looks? He is so cute! Did you even notice the way he smiled at you? I'm so jealous!"

Kagome rolled her eyes heavenward and whispered, "Lord, give me strength!"

* * *

"Mama, I'm home!" Kagome grinned as she kicked off her shoes. "Is Dad home from work yet?"

"Welcome home, sweetie. Your father is waiting for you in the kitchen and he has a special gift for you." Mrs. Higurashi answered with a slightly strained smile. "We have a few things we need to talk to you about too."

"Okay," Kagome carelessly answered, missing the slightly pained look that flittered across her mother's face. "Mom, is there anymore milk in the fridge?" Kagome asked as she stepped into the kitchen. "I'm kind of hungry."

"There should be." Mrs. Higurashi answered. "If you're hungry and can't wait till dinner, there's a fresh batch of cookies on the counter."

"Thanks Mom!" Kagome answered as she stepped into the kitchen. "Hey Dad," she greeted, giving her father a small hug before heading for the refrigerator. "Mom said you had for something for me…" Kagome hinted as she poured herself a cold cup of milk.

"That I do." answered Mr. Higurashi with a small bark of laughter as he fished a small, velvet box out of his coat pocket. "Here, take it." he urged, gently shoving the palm-sized box into his daughter's free hand.

Kagome grinned and quickly placed her cup of milk on the table before slowly opening the small box with great care. "Dad, this is beautiful." she whispered in slight awe as she picked the diamond-encrusted gold necklace out of the box. "This must have cost you a fortune!" she whispered. After admiring the piece of jewelry for a few minutes, Kagome asked, "Dad, what's this about? As much as I appreciate this gift, I can't take it. We need this money to support Aki in college."

"That's what I need to talk to you about." Mr. Higurashi murmured as his wife entered the kitchen and slid into the seat beside him.

An uncomfortable silence settled around the small family as Mr. Higurashi repeatedly opened his mouth to speak, but then clamped it shut again at the last second when his meager amount of courage failed him. After what seemed like eons had passed, Mr. Higurashi finally worked up enough nerves to spill the horrible secret that he had been hiding for the past few weeks. Taking a deep breath to calm his racing heart, he finally whispered, "Kagome, I lost my job a couple of weeks ago."

Kagome froze as she stared disbelievingly at her father, who had dropped his head into his hands in shame. "If you lost your job, then why are you buying me such an expensive gift?" Kagome asked softly as she pushed the necklace back to her father. "Dad, I don't need anything. Even if Aki doesn't need this money for college, we can save this money to pay for Souta's future college. As for me, I'll go get a job as soon as possible so I can pay for my own college - you don't have to worry about me…"

"Kagome, I'm so sorry!" Mr. Higurashi suddenly cried; interrupting Kagome's frenzied ramblings. "I'm so sorry!"

"Dad…what's wrong?" Kagome softly asked, fearing the answer when she noticed her father's tear-stained cheeks. "Daddy – talk to me. Tell me what's wrong! Did something happen?"

"When I lost my job four weeks ago," Mr. Higurashi slowly began as he took his wife's offered tissue, "I panicked and did something I shouldn't have done."

Kagome held her breath in fear as she gazed anxiously at her mother, who was desperately trying to hold back a wave of tears. Feeling a lump grow in her throat, Kagome silently wondered how she was going to survive with only one parent. She loved them both – she didn't want them to divorce.

"Kagome, I…I got swept into the adrenaline of gambling." he whispered, startling Kagome out of her thoughts.

Process the new information, Kagome silently wondered if what she feeling at the moment was relief or panic…

"I fell into heavy debt and was threatened with death if I didn't pay back their money in three days. But without my job, I couldn't have possibly paid them back! Just when I thought I was going to lose my life, Mr. Yamasaki, the leader of the mafia gang I had been gambling with, made a deal with me that I couldn't have refused. He asked me if I had a daughter…"

Kagome felt a hint of recognition at the name of Yamasaki, but quickly banished it to the back of her mind as unimportant. Turning her attention back to her father's explanation, Kagome suddenly felt her blood run cold with his last sentence.

"I answered yes…He offered me my freedom and a large sum of money in exchange for your hand in marriage. Kagome, I panicked! I promise I didn't agree on purpose – I just sort of did it without realizing! Kagome, please forgive me!" Mr. Higurashi begged as he slid out of his seat and onto his knees.

By this point, Mrs. Higurashi's small resolve to remain indifferent to the situation had dissolved and was openly bawling and screaming. "You stupid pig!" she cried as she squeezed her eyes shut. "She's our daughter! How can you _sell_ her to someone three times her age? What drove you to gamble in the first place? And with a mafia gang, no less!" she hissed as she slapped her husband soundly across the cheek.

Tear spilled down Kagome's cheek as she whispered over and over again, "Daddy, tell me this is a joke. Tell me it's a nightmare and that I'll wake up soon…Mommy, tell me this isn't true!" she anxiously begged even as the prospects of marrying an old mafia leader sunk into her mind.

After what seemed like hours, Mrs. Higurashi finally broke the silence by asking, "Isn't there any way to back out of this deal?" she whispered. "Doesn't Mr. Yamasaki have a wife already?"

"She died a month ago."

"Can't you go ask him for some time so we can pay back the money? I'd rather work day and night than to give up my baby!" Mrs. Higurashi howled as she pulled Kagome into her embrace.

"There's no way to back out of the contract – I signed it with my blood. He promised he'd kill all of us if Kagome didn't marry him. Calling the police would be a no go because he's monitoring us 24/7. We'll be dead as soon as we pick up the phone to call the police. As the mafia leader of a powerful gang, I doubt even the local police will be able to do much about him."

"This isn't happening." Kagome whispered as she leapt to her feet. "You're lying. You're all lying! LYING!" she cried as she stormed out of the kitchen and raced for her bedroom. Reaching the safety of her room, Kagome quickly slammed the door shut and bolted the locks to ensure her privacy.

Leaning heavily against the door, Kagome silently wrapped her arms around herself as furious tears wracked her small body. She couldn't believe this was happening…she wouldn't believe it. These things just weren't supposed to happen! She was supposed to be happy, get good grades, hang out with her friends, tease her brother about his latest crush…and eventually go to college, get a good job, and marry the man of her dreams. There was simply NO room in her life plan for a marriage with a sadistic, volatile mafia who was no doubt three times her age!

Kagome gave a small, pain-filled sniff as she slid down the door into a broken heap. Pulling her legs up against her chest and wrapping her arms tightly around them, she gently pressed her forehead to her knees as she silently cried for her crumbling future – a future that was marked for suffering.

* * *

"Kagome, sis, please come out of your room!" Souta pleaded, plastering his face to his sister's door. "You've been in there for almost a week! You need to eat and drink or you'll die!" he cried helplessly as he flailed his arms about his body. "Did you get into an argument with Daddy?" he asked innocently.

"Souta, move aside." commanded Aki, pushing his little brother to one side. "Let me handle this."

Souta rolled his eyes and mimicked in a silent, high-pitched voice, "Let me handle this," – complete with batting eyelashes and large hip swings. "Sis likes me better." Souta muttered darkly under his breath as he watched Aki kneel in front of Kagome's door. "What are you doing?" he softly asked before shouting, "YOU'RE PICKING…"

"Sh," Aki hissed as he returned to his work. "I'm doing her a favor by picking her lock! She'll starve to death if she doesn't come out of that room soon."

"Not before she dies of thirst." Souta smartly replied.

"Shut up brat…wait, I think I hear something." Aki whispered as he twisted the bobby pin to the left…

**Click**

"What do you think you're doing?" Kagome hissed menacingly as she glared down at her older brother, who returned the glare with a sheepish smirk. "Get away from my room or else I'll castrate you – brother or not."

"Whoa, hold your horses, have you ever heard of the saying, 'Don't kill the messenger'?" Aki grinned as he stuffed the bobby pin back into his jean pocket. "So, what's up?" he asked as he took in Kagome's disheveled appearance and blood-shot eyes. "Okay, stupid question…What happened between you, Mom, and Dad?"

"Nothing." snapped Kagome. "Leave me alone!"

"Okay, okay – girls." muttered Aki as he trotted downstairs to pester his parents until they told him what was going on.

"Told you sis liked me better than you!" Souta hollered after his older brother with a triumphant grin. "Kagome…"

**Bam**

"Or not," Souta muttered miserably as he trudged downstairs, where Aki was waiting for him with a smug look. "Don't you dare start." hissed Souta as he marched directly towards their brooding parents.

"So, how did it go?" Mr. Higurashi asked hopefully.

"She slammed the door in my nose." Souta grumbled as Aki snorted in mirth.

"But seriously," Aki stated, laughter leaving his eyes, "what happened? I've never seen Kagome like this. As her older brother, I'm entitled to know this! I demand to know this! Did someone bully her at school?" he asked, narrowing his eyes slightly.

"Tell them, _dear_." Mrs. Higurashi hissed as she stormed into the kitchen.

"What's going on Dad – Our whole family's falling apart. I want to know everything." Aki frowned.

"Same here." agreed Souta.

* * *

"Kagome, I'm so glad you agreed to help me out." Mr. Higurashi smiled with a sigh of relief as his family piled into the limousine that Mr. Yamasaki had 'so graciously' provided. "I promise I'll never gamble again!"

"I didn't agree to this to help you out of your debt." Kagome replied scathingly, trying desperately to keep the slight tremble from entering her voice. "I'm doing this for Mom, Aki, and Souta's safety. I could care less about what happens to you! To me, the father I loved and adored died the moment he sold my soul to the devil for his own gain."

Tension was thick in the limo as the unknown driver brought them closer and closer to Mr. Yamasaki's estate with each passing second. While the boys were busy whispering angrily to one another, Mrs. Higurashi was repeatedly darting nervous glances at Kagome, who sat broodingly beside the window.

By the time they finally arrived at their destination, Mr. Higurashi swore he was going to have a nervous breakdown from all the unnecessary stress he was receiving – seriously, everyone made it sound like as if this ordeal was a walk in the park for him. They seem to constantly forget that Kagome was his daughter too! Of course he cared about her future...

"Welcome, Mr. and Mrs. Higurashi." a middle-aged man in his mid-forties greeted with a small nod of his head. "Come in, dinner is ready."

"Thank you, Mr. Yamasaki." Mr. Higurashi replied with a small, forced smile as he followed the mafia leader into the dining room. "Might I introduce my humble family to you?"

"I never knew he was such a suck-up." Aki hissed under his breath, watching with humiliation as his father acted the part of the loyal lapdog.

Once everyone was comfortably seated around the giant oak table, which was covered with an assortment of foods, Mr. Higurashi began to dig himself an even deeper grave by launching into a small introduction of his family.

"This is my wife, Mia Higurashi – She's an excellent cook and a wonderful mother. Across from me is my eldest son, Aki, who attends Miracle University. Next to him is my youngest child, Souta, who attends Sakura Acres Elementary. Sitting next to Mia is Kagome, my beloved daughter. She attends St. Kino High and will be turning 17 in less than five months."

"She's truly a beauty." Mr. Yamasaki grinned.

"Thank you." replied Kagome in a tight voice.

"Father, there's someone on the phone for you." a light, airy voice called as a young man waltzed into the room.

Kagome's eyes snapped wide open as she gaped at the young man. Wasn't this the same guy her three friends had been drooling over this morning? With a small, dry laugh, Kagome wondered what her friend's would think when she told them she was going to be Mrs. Yamasaki – not because she was going to marry Hojo, but because she was going to be his 'mother'.

"Ah, just in time, son." laughed Mr. Yamasaki as he grabbed the phone from Hojo's outstretched hand and clicked it shut without bothering to find out who had called. "I believe you attend the same school as Kagome." he smiled dazzlingly, making Kagome want to cringe away in disgust. "Kagome, meet…my son." he gestured, stopping himself just in time from saying 'our' son. "Hojo, meet Kagome, your future mother. I expect you to treat her with the same respect you would with your late mother." he commanded with a meaningful look that meant, 'keep your hands off her.'

"Hello Miss Higurashi," greeted Hojo, giving her a small bow before taking the open seat beside Souta.

"Mother?" mouthed Aki with a disgusted wrinkle of his nose. "Does that make this Hobo guy my nephew?" he asked Souta, who was staring at Hojo with wide, frightened eyes. "And that Yamasaki old fart is going to be my brother-in-law…he's butt-ugly! Someone, please shoot me!" Aki groaned under his breath.

"We can discuss the wedding preparations as we eat – help yourselves." Mr. Yamasaki offered as Mrs. Higurashi tentatively helped Kagome to a bowl of rice, vegetables, and fish.

"While Kagome and I can't legally marry until she turns 18, she is more than welcome to live here, where I promise she will be waited on hand and foot like royalty." smiled Mr. Yamasaki as Kagome froze at the prospect of living unsupervised with the devil.

"Or maybe we can just wait till Kagome turns 18." objected Mrs. Higurashi with a deep frown.

"Or maybe I can just commit suicide." Kagome muttered darkly as she shoved a spoonful of rice into her mouth. "Either that or I'll commit homicide." she snorted, glaring discreetly at Mr. Yamasaki and non-so-discreetly at her father.

"Dear, e-eat your fish." Mrs. Higurashi shakily commanded as she placed a comforting hand over her daughter's slightly smaller ones. "It'll be all right. Don't loose hope until the last minute – miracles do happen."

"But only in fairytales." whispered Kagome as she clenched her free hand into a tight fist. "I hate my life. I hate my dad. I hate how people are dictating my life." Kagome silently ranted as she forked a large chunk of tuna into her mouth. "…And I hate this stupid fish! Stupid pig arranging me to marry an old man! For goodness sake, why can't people understand that this isn't the medieval times anymore? This is the 20th century! Get with the times! Arranged marriages to old men just don't happen anymore!" Kagome angrily hissed to herself as she munched heavily on her fish. "I wish I had a different life in a place far, far away from this stupid time and place!"

**Crack**

Kagome froze in pain as she bit into a rock-like substance…in a fish? Stupid fish…

"I've been waiting – don't disappoint me." a melodic voice whispered.

Looking around frantically, Kagome felt a twinge of fear when she realized no one else had heard the voice…Was she loosing her mind or did the fish just talk to her. Before Kagome had a chance to ponder further (or spit out the rock), a bright light enveloped the dining room, scaring Kagome into swallowing the rock whole…and just when she thought life couldn't get any worse, she blacked out.

* * *

TBC

Read and Review:) Tell me what you think. I think I'm getting a little rusty, but oh well.


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